9 Antiaging Superfoods for Skin and Hair

It's no secret that beauty comes from within—but from within your refrigerator? You bet. These foods are packed with nutrients that moisturize, fight acne, and erase the signs of aging—in your diet and in these smart new products.

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Coconut

Coconut

The aroma evokes summer, but this tropical fruit is having a moment for another reason: Its healthy fats make skin and hair smooth.

In Your Diet: Cooking with coconut oil is the best way to tap into one of nature's most potent line fighters. Coconuts are high in a type of fat that acts as an anti-inflammatory, explains New York dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D. "Keeping inflammation low prevents the breakdown of collagen, which maintains skin's thickness and stops wrinkle formation," she adds.

In Your Products: "The fats in coconut oil are great at trapping moisture and repairing your skin's barrier to reduce irritation," says Bowe. This is likely why recent research found it to be an effective treatment for skin conditions like eczema. Smooth the oil on your hair, too—it's rich in lauric acid, a fatty acid that penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen strands, research suggests.

Soy

Soy

It's an all-around antiaging superstar, so reach for soy in products and in foods like tofu, soy milk, and edamame.

In Your Diet: Wrinkles and fine lines are more noticeable on dry skin. Soy is rich in isoflavones, compounds that help skin hold on to water to minimize their appearance, says dermatologist Marina Peredo, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. These substances have also been found to stimulate collagen and elastin production.

In Your Products: Anyone with dark spots will tell you that they're tough to get rid of, but using products with soy can keep you from getting them in the first place. The specialized proteins in soy—called proteinase inhibitors—control pigment production to stop too much of it from settling into skin, explains Peredo.

Coconut

The aroma evokes summer, but this tropical fruit is having a moment for another reason: Its healthy fats make skin and hair smooth.

In Your Diet: Cooking with coconut oil is the best way to tap into one of nature's most potent line fighters. Coconuts are high in a type of fat that acts as an anti-inflammatory, explains New York dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D. "Keeping inflammation low prevents the breakdown of collagen, which maintains skin's thickness and stops wrinkle formation," she adds.

In Your Products: "The fats in coconut oil are great at trapping moisture and repairing your skin's barrier to reduce irritation," says Bowe. This is likely why recent research found it to be an effective treatment for skin conditions like eczema. Smooth the oil on your hair, too—it's rich in lauric acid, a fatty acid that penetrates the hair shaft to strengthen strands, research suggests.

Soy

It's an all-around antiaging superstar, so reach for soy in products and in foods like tofu, soy milk, and edamame.

In Your Diet: Wrinkles and fine lines are more noticeable on dry skin. Soy is rich in isoflavones, compounds that help skin hold on to water to minimize their appearance, says dermatologist Marina Peredo, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. These substances have also been found to stimulate collagen and elastin production.

In Your Products: Anyone with dark spots will tell you that they're tough to get rid of, but using products with soy can keep you from getting them in the first place. The specialized proteins in soy—called proteinase inhibitors—control pigment production to stop too much of it from settling into skin, explains Peredo.

Green Tea

Packed with antioxidants, this Oz-approved beverage can protect skin from damage, soothe inflammation, and boost hydration.

In Your Diet: Women who sipped this brew for three months experienced 25% less damage when exposed to UV rays, a study in The Journal of Nutrition concluded. Drink at least one cup daily to keep skin's defenses up, recommends L.A. dermatologist Jessica Wu, M.D. Another perk? The tea's antioxidants, called catechins, improve firmness.

In Your Products: What makes green tea skin care so great? The kudos, again, go to its catechins, which reduce redness from sunburn and soothe inflammation, says Wu.

Pomegranate

The seeds of this ruby red fruit are high in antioxidants that improve circulation for a bright, smooth complexion.

In Your Diet: Need proof that big things come in small packages? Tiny pomegranate seeds are a good source of vitamin C, a nutrient that can help to create new skin cells and slough off old ones. In fact, women whose diets were higher in C were significantly less likely to have a dry, wrinkled complexion, according to one study.

In Your Products: Pomegranates pack a huge antioxidant punch, according to an article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. What this means for you: Products containing the fruit may protect skin cells from UV damage and stimulate collagen synthesis, resulting in fewer wrinkles and brown spots.

Honey

Apply plain honey directly on skin as a DIY treatment and use it sparingly in your tea for a dose of skin-friendly sweetness.

In Your Diet: Honey trumps table sugar because it contains antioxidants and trace minerals like manganese and selenium that can improve skin health. One study also shows that it causes fewer blood sugar spikes than the white stuff—a good thing, since higher insulin levels have been linked to breakouts and rashes.

In Your Products: "Honey, especially a dark variety like manuka, contains natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties that speed the rate of healing and lessen scarring," says Bowe. You'll also find it added to moisturizers—and for good reason. Its sugars attract and trap water while amino acids help build your skin's protective barrier, keeping hydration in and irritants out.

Yogurt

The bacteria in yogurt, called probiotics, do all the work. So, look for "contains live active cultures" on food labels and an actual bacterial strain on product ingredient lists.

In Your Diet: When the bacteria that naturally thrive in your digestive tract become imbalanced (due to stress or a poor diet), your immune system responds, triggering inflammation that can break down collagen and cause redness and irritation. An easy way to restore harmony in your gut—and on your face—is to snack on a container of yogurt daily, says dermatologist Bowe.

Chocolate

When it's made with at least 70% dark cocoa, chocolate is packed with flavonoids—plant compounds with antioxidant properties.

In Your Diet: You probably don't need an excuse to enjoy a chocolate treat. But here's one anyway: Cocoa's flavonoids were shown to boost blood flow to the top layer of skin by up to 100%, delivering oxygen, vitamins, and minerals to the epidermis so it can build new cells, found one study. Researchers also discovered that women who drank a beverage containing high-flavonoid cocoa daily for three months had increased skin thickness and less roughness and scaling.

In Your Products: The caffeine in cocoa beans stimulates blood flow to skin, improving its overall hydration to minimize the look of lines and dark circles, says Marina Peredo, M.D. Cocoa also boasts another protective compound called xanthine, which can prevent sun damage from breaking down the connective tissue that helps to keep skin firm and line-free.

Tomato

The fruit gets its red hue from lycopene, a sunburn-shielding plant pigment that can also boost your natural glow.

In Your Diet: When you eat foods with lycopene, they can stimulate collagen formation to improve firmness, found a small study. Additional research found that filling up on lycopene-rich foods imparts a healthy, youthful glow.

In Your Products: Tomatoes can enhance the effectiveness of your sunscreen, says research. How? Lycopene is an antioxidant that soaks up free radicals from the sun's rays. (But marinara can't replace SPF, so use sunscreen regularly.) The same study also suggests that the nutrient may prevent skin cancer.

Avocado

In Your Diet: Go ahead; help yourself to that extra spoonful of guacamole. Avocados are rich in copper, a nutrient that helps build new collagen, the plumping protein that prevents lines and wrinkles, says Jessica Wu, M.D. Plus, a greater intake of fat, including the MUFAs found in avocados, was associated with more skin elasticity, according to Japanese research.

In Your Products: Sure, it's tasty on a taco, but did you know avocado is also a potent frizz fighter? "The oil acts like a conditioner on your hair, coating strands so you experience fewer flyaways and split ends," Wu adds. Smooth on avocado oil straight from the bottle, or find it in product form. When applied to skin, its antioxidants stimulate oil-producing glands to keep your outer layer moisturized.